For information purposes only

My experience has been that the people that I know who have an opinion on either side of the abortion issue have never read Roe v. Wade [410 U.S. 113 (1973)]. This is essentially what it says:

(a) During the first trimester, the decision must be left to the woman and her doctor (Right to Privacy).

(b) During the second trimester, the State may regulate but not prohibit (and any regulation must be reasonably related to the woman's health).

(c) During the last trimester, the State may prohibit (except where it is necessary, in appropriate medical judgment, for the preservation of the life or health of the mother).

The present 34 challenges to Roe are almost exclusively concerned with state laws enacted under #b above -- how extensive can state regulation be before it becomes a prohibition?

The position of the Catholic Church is that abortion cannot be used to save the life of the mother, even if it is known that the baby is unlikely to survive. See: Pastoral Guidelines for the Catholic Hospital and Catholic Health Care Personnel Ad Hoc Committee On Pro-Life Activities, National Council of Catholic Bishops (April 11, 1973).

This is neither a political nor religious blog. There are plenty of those. If you wish to make a religious or political comment on abortion, please go to one of those blogs. The above is provided for information purposes only in light of the extensive coverage of the speeches and commentaries that will mark the anniversary of Roe this week.